7 Korean Street Foods in Seoul

Street food is synonymous with Korean culture. As you’re on the go, Korean street food is so quick, convenient, and delicious. It’s a defining element of Korea and if you are planning a visit you should definitely have a few brave moments where you stop at some of these food carts and stalls.

This video montage includes three locations: Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market in Banpo, Mang-Wun Shijang (market), and Hongdae. There are many other locations that serve up street food, but you can find some great choices in these places.

Many people who are new to Korea might be nervous about ordering street food because they don’t know what it is, but that really shouldn’t deter anyone. I think at this point, everyone knows about the common street foods, so this video covers some other choices.

Here are 7 Korean street foods you can try while visiting Seoul:

Bamdokkabi Night Market in Banpo:

Red Shrimp (fried shrimp): This is shrimp that is fried in a fiery wok and served with toppings like corn and other spices. It is spicy and cooked in a red sauce, giving it its name “Red Shrimp”. They cook it over a big, bold flame and the shrimp are crispy and really delicious. I kind of wish they had spoons so I could scoop up the garnishes but they only had the large toothpicks for spearing each individual shrimp or kernel of corn. Still, that doesn’t change the taste.

Ga Ship Bap: This Korean fried rice has seared shrimp, chunks of chicken, and pineapple. The pineapple juice mixes with the rice which has been made very spicy. Sharp spiciness, that is. It will possibly make your head sweat a little. But that’s why I liked it. So the combination of spicy and sweet was great to me. This was definitely my favorite chow choice at Banpo Night Market.

Heuk Dwaeji: The Pink Pig stall served up a popular type of pork in Korea. Black pig. I think black pig (dong dwaeji) is well-known in Jeju-do. Here at Banpo Night Market, the fatty chunks are grilled up nice and covered in a savory sauce. The roasted garlic pieces made for a nice flavor combination. If you dig pig, this is a good choice.

Mang-Wun Shijang Street Food

Dak Gang Jung: This is a Korean street food that anyone can like. It’s fried chunks of chicken covered in different sauces like cheese, red pepper, and a sweet sauce. You choose. People line up for this for obvious reason. I’ve said it before, thank God for fried chicken in Korea.

Go Ro Gae: This is a popular street food snack in Korea. It is essentially fried dough, like donuts, that is filled with japchae, red bean, kimchi, or squid. There are other choices too, but those are the big ones. Go Ro Gae is crispy on the outside and delicious on the inside, depending on the flavor you choose. Go Ro Gae is served at shops that are kind of like street donut shops. You can get other doughy snacks as well, but go Go Ro Gae is the go-to treat.

Hongdae Street Food

Dak Go Ji

Dak Go Ji: This is grilled chicken skewers. Cooked over an open flame and coated with a barbecue sauce and mayo, these are a really delicious snack to grab on the go. Hongdae is a busy free-for-all of shoppers, performers, and people watchers. A nice meaty snack like Dak Go Ji is perfect for this kind of busy environment.

STEAK: There are several steak stalls in Hongdae. These steak-in-a-cup snacks are a nice way to get a taste of real steak while on the go. The one I chose came with fries that was served in a small platter that fit the top of my soda. There were also some small “salady” bites as well like some pickle slices and whatnot, but who wants salad when you’re being a carnivore?!

I hope you enjoy these Korean street food choices if you visit Seoul. There are so many street foods to choose from sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and dive in for the try.

Comments

Hey! Wish I was there so that I can try some of these foods. For me, I wouldn’t be worried about trying street food for how different it looks – I’ll be worried if it has flies around it lol. Years ago, I was in El Salvador (where my family is from) and decided to eat a corn that they were selling on the streets. Bad decision. Let’s just say my stomach hated me for that whole week. But it looks like S. Korea is pretty clean, so I’m guessing no flies?